The Last Master and The Nameless Swordsman
by ZoomFlare
Summary: After the fourth Singularity, Creuset Cadenza grew anxious of the battles ahead. One night, she spoke with one of her Servants.


My name is Creuset Cadenza. The last Master of mankind. A lot has happened since I came to Chaldea. The Director's death. The looming end of humanity. The Singularities. With the help of Dr. Romani, Mash, Da Vinci, and many, many Heroic Spirits summoned as Servants, we've been able to somehow contain four Singularities.

I sat on a log, looking out to the starry sky. My other servants and Mash are already resting for the day ahead but I couldn't get myself to sleep. We rayshifted for resource gathering and now that I've had some time to process everything that just happened at London. After seeing him… The Grand Caster Solomon. I knew I said I would fight him no matter what but the scale of his power and his undeniable madness, I can't help but think…

_Do we even stand a chance?_

I couldn't confide in Mash about my uneasiness in the whole situation. The last thing I wanted to do was to put doubt in her determination as well. What am I doing, hiding my feelings from her? I'm sure she would say something to reassure me. I just don't want to plant even the smallest worry to her.

I tossed another log into the bonfire to keep it aflame and pulled my cloak around me tighter. I've gotten used to the cold nights; it doesn't make them ever more bearable.

"Shall we change places, Master?" A familiar voice rang from behind me.

I turned around and saw a familiar light purple. Sasaki Kojiro.

"Sasaki-san, you're awake?" I asked.

"I dozed for a bit. Shouldn't you do the same, my lord?"

I smiled at him. "Sorry, I just can't seem to sleep."

"I can say the same," Sasaki said as he sat crossed-leg across me. "It's never safe whenever we are outside of Chaldea afterall."

I nodded. I then looked at the night sky that was speckled with stars.

"It is unfortunate that the moon is not in sight but the stars are a wonderful compensation."

I looked back to him and saw Sasaki looking up at the sky as well. When he looked back at me with his indigo eyes, I averted my gaze.

After he chuckled he asked, "what's wrong, Master? Usually you'd be asking me questions about me or about my training about my sword technique."

That's because I'm a big fan of him, even way before I went to Chaldea. I've read all about him and his accounts. That made me a fan of Miyamoto Musashi as well but I'm more into Sasaki. Just looking at him makes me happy that I've summoned him. Which meant he answered my summons. When he was first summoned and named himself, I screamed like a fangirl and even shook his hand. It was a confusing meeting for him, I'm sure. Since that day, I always talked to him and asked him about his days. He wasn't much of a talker but he would humor me sometimes.

"It's nothing, Sasaki-san." I waved my hand as if waving my thoughts before he joined me.

"Is it about the Grand Caster?"

My hand froze. "Y-You mean Solomon? Why would I be thinking of him?"

"Wouldn't it be more strange if you didn't? After a display of power like that. Not to mention, you being not able to sleep…"

Okay, he got me. "You're not wrong."

"Gotten a bit of fright? Knowing he summoned those demonic towers and even learning that it was merely a part of his Noble Phantasm, I can understand your concern."

"Sasaki-san," I held my hands together tightly. "Aren't you afraid? Of all the enemies we faced, he clearly is in a different league. I know I shouldn't. I am the last Master afterall."

He tilted his head slightly. "What does being the last Master have to do with being unafraid?"

"If I'm afraid, then I'm showing weakness to my other Servants. Even now, I'm sure you're expecting great things from me. I have to be strong for everyone. For Mash. So everyone can keep going. Before all of this, I'm just a mage. Not even a powerful one or from a renowned family. Now I'm the only one left to be a master." I looked down onto my hands. "Someone else should've lead everyone. I'm not sure if I can. I keep messing up but everyone is picking up the mess I always leave behind. I don't deserve Mash's loyalty. Or yours."

Few seconds felt like hours due to the silence. I couldn't look up to Sasaki. I felt tears falling from my face. I knew he was already pitiful with my sorry statement.

"Master, can I confide in you?"

I nodded without looking up.

"Master, I know you look up to us servants a lot and that's why you work hard to be a Master deserving of us. But I want you to know that I am not the real Sasaki Kojiro."

I immediately looked at him. "What?"

"Just like you, Master, I'm only a person bestowed a title and heavy expectations. Have you never wondered why I am an Assassin rather than a Saber?"

"I did… But you have skills of an Assassin! You have Presence Concealment!"

"Ah, that is nothing more but my ability to cut off my presence. It is a skill I personally have. Besides, what Assassin prefers fighting upfront?"

I can only look at him in bewilderment.

I stood up, still unable to contain my disbelief. "That doesn't mean you're not Sasaki Kojiro. You have the Noble Phantasm; Tsubame Gaeshi!"

"A mere sword technique."

"That's on par with magic!"

"Which makes it a fine sword technique." He said with closed eyes, smiling.

I sat back down, losing strength from his words.

He really isn't Sasaki Kojiro.

"Master, do you know why I am sharing this with you?"

I looked down again. "No."

"Like I said, we are the same."

"Huh?"

Sasaki stood up and sat beside me, his hands inside the sleeves of his kimono. "We're both called a certain title and with it, it's expectations. They expect you to be the Master who will save mankind and I am the legendary swordsman who dueled Miyamoto Musashi, and yet I do not remember that in my life. All I remember is training. Yet I fight in this bizarre scenario of true legends and heroes."

"Because you just want to swing your sword?"

"There is that. No, it is mostly that. The second would be the expectations on me."

"The expectations… are second?"

"Master, if you live your life on others' expectations, then you will never become who you want to be. I wanted to be a master of the sword so I focused on that. What is it that you want to become?"

"Well, I want to become a good Master. A good mage."

"Then why not put that first?"

"Because everything's in danger! Humanity is at stake and I can't improve slowly! I have to become better so I can save everyone."

"See, that's your mistake. If you pressure yourself so heavily, then you cannot move forward."

I squeezed my hands into knuckles tightly in my lap. "Then what am I supposed to do? Just let things come as they go? I'm not that talented to do that."

Sasaki sighed. "Master—"

I looked at him in the eye. "You're just saying that because you're still a Servant! You may not be Sasaki Kojiro but you're still a swordsman of his caliber!" Realizing I just screamed at him, I looked away from him again, wiping the tears that welled-up in my eyes. "I'm just a coward. You're still a worthy spirit to become a Servant."

Sasaki looked at me with concern. Then he smiled again. "I did tell you that I'm not Sasaki Kojiro, but I am also a not proper Servant."

"Huh?"

"I know I am the first Servant you summoned. I'm guessing you were very nervous that day."

"Stop changing the topic." Why is he bringing that embarrassing topic!? I screwed up almost everything on that first summon.

"That's why I was summoned the way I am. I am not Sasaki Kojiro but a swordsman that can only emulate his technique."

"Then why did you name yourself Sasaki Kojiro?"

"I don't know. Perhaps it's the technique I mastered or the blade I carry. Regardless, I fought carrying that name. It is what you expected of me."

"Then what happened to putting yourself first?! You're just confusing me!"

"I did. I did what I could to be myself, and to be your Servant. It also helped that you believed in me even when we're in a pinch. In the end, I can only do the best of who I am, not who you thought I was."

"The best of who you are?"

"Yes. So do your best as Creuset, not as the last Master. Not as the saviour, but as yourself. Then, you can become better and eventually become your ideal self."

Do what I can as myself?

"Did I confuse you, Master?"

"But I'm not good enough. My best is not enough."

"What's the point of setting the bar too high if you can't reach it? Your best should be good. Good, but evolving. You're already doing that, Master. Soon, you won't need me and you'll be able to summon a stronger Servant."

"Sasaki-san…" I relaxed my hands and looked at him. He was still smiling at me. I hope I'm not blushing. "Please, keep fighting with me. I don't think I deserve any Servant but I want you to keep fighting with me. And then I'll get stronger. You will too. We'll see this through."

"Even though I'm not the real Sasaki Kojiro?" He raised an eyebrow.

"To me, you're the real Sasaki Kojiro as I am the last Master." I extended my hand to him. "I look forward to keep fighting beside you."

Sasaki chuckled then took my hand. "Master, I swear on my blade I will fight with you as long as you are."


End file.
